Being Rahim Moore means living by a few simple rules: accountability, hard work and attention to detail. You’d never shy away from talking about failure, and though you might have been shamed (see last season’s playoff loss to the Baltimore Ravens), you won’t choose to live with it.

Of all the position battles that were part of Broncos training camp, which wrapped up Thursday, Moore’s spot at free safety wasn’t one of them. It never was. And yet Moore hasn’t played the part of a satisfied player, instead going about his business with a constant chip on his shoulder.

“My last name is Moore for a reason. I have to work more, more, more,” he said, laughing. “That’s a joke.”

Then his tone turned serious.

“I like to work on everything,” he said. “You’re never perfect. If you get beat, then it’s something you’ve got to work on. If you make a mistake, there’s something you’ve got to work on. Last time I checked, we didn’t win the Super Bowl last year — I was to blame for it. I put that on me because I feel that is my responsibility, so I’ve got work to do. I want to go out there and give the fans what they want to see, especially as a team.”

Talking is more of Moore’s makeup this season. A more acute attention to detail is too. Where he may have assumed something or simply shrugged it off before, now he verifies all information.

“I’m happy with my communication on the field,” Moore said. “I’m able to call stuff out and help everyone else out, sharpen my checks, and also knowing down and distance. I’ve always been like that, but this year I’m even more sharp with it. Being very sharp and detailed is the key.”

But being a leader is too, and this is where Broncos coach John Fox smiles most when he talks about the progress Moore has made.

Then: Moore was drafted in 2011 and was late to his first training camp practice.

Now: Immaturity-related mistakes are a dwindling part of his makeup.

“Oh, yeah, he’s matured a lot,” Fox said of the UCLA product. “He made as big a jump going from his rookie year to last year as anybody on our football team.”

But not just that.

“I’m really proud of him,” Fox said. “It was a tough thing to happen to him, but I love the way he handled it. It says a lot about his character and what he’s made of. He’s come back and worked extremely hard. He loves the game and he wants to be the best he can be.”

Moore will be on the field for most, if not all, of the first half with Denver’s No. 1 defense during Saturday night’s preseason game at Seattle. Expect quarterback Peyton Manning and the No. 1 offense to play the majority of the first half too.

Moore is a big fan of the preseason.

“It’s ‘pre,’ but it’s still part of your season,” Moore said. “You’re getting ready for your season, so it’s very key to go out there and see where you are as a team. Also, I like it because you get to see how you are when the starters aren’t in there. The thing that really defines your team is how the backups are.

“I treat preseason like a playoff game, like a regular-season game. Because if you don’t, somebody else is out there trying to beat you, trying to shine, trying to embarrass you.”

Chris Dempsey arrived at The Denver Post in Dec. 2003 after seven years at the Boulder Daily Camera, where he primarily covered the University of Colorado football and men's basketball teams. A University of Colorado-Boulder alumnus, Dempsey covers the Nuggets and also chips in on college sports.

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